Sewing machines of the overseaming type



y 3, 1955 R. OLLEO, sR 2,707,445

SEWING MACHINES OF THE OVERSEAMING TYPE Original Filed Dec. 6, 1950 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VEN TOR. RALPH OLLEO, SR.

ATTORNEY May 3,1955 R. OLLEO, sR ,707,

SEWING MACHINES OF THE OVERSEAMING TYPE Original Filed Dec. 6, 1950 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVEN TOR. RALPH OLLEO, SR

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ATTORNEY y 3, 1955 R. OLLEO, SR 2,707,445

sswmc MACHINES OF THE OVERSEAMING TYPE l l H |oo\ /56 //U\ 31 l 34 m, 29 2 a 42 o x .2 L O IN V EN TOR. RALPH OLLEO, SR.

ATTORFW'E Y United States Patent 2,707,445 SEWING MACHINES OFLTHE OVERSEAMING TYP Ralph Olleo, Sr., New York, N. Y., assignor to R. Olleo & Sons Machine Company, a partnership Original application December 6, 1950, Serial No. 199,440. Divided and this application June 22, 1953, Serial No. 363,071

7 Claims. (Cl. LUZ-18) This invention relates to improvements in sewing machines of the overseaming type, and is directed more particularly to improved mechanism for separating the feed discs on such.

In machines of this type, which are particularly adapted to stitch fur skins together and to stitch gloves and other articles where the seamed edges are exposed, the material is fed between a pair of horizontally aligned feed discs with the edges to be stitched uppermost.

A needle bar horizontally reciprocates a needle back and forth across the point of contact of the feeding discs and consequently, the needle passes through the material to be sewn. A looper device, moved in timed relation with the needle, enters and picks up the loop of thread at the needle on one side of the material, raises it, and carries it over the top of the material and down to a position on the other side of the material, where it positions or holds the loop to enable the needle to pass through the same as it begins its next forward stroke to complete the stitching and begin the formation of the succeeding stage. As soon as the needle begins to enter the loop, the looper drops it and as the needle stroke is completed, the looper returns to the first mentioned side of the material to a position ready to pick up the next loop formed by the needle.

This application is a division of my earlier application Serial No. 199,440, filed December 6, 1950.

In existing machines of the overseaming type the machines for separating the feed rollers in order to insert or remove work from between them has been of such nature that undue strains were present which resulted in frequent breakages. This has been due to the fact that a balanced condition in this particular part of the mechanism of the machine has been absent and also the cooperative elements embodied in the mechanism for moving the feed disc has been light in construction in order to reduce weight.

According to the present invention 1 provide a mecha-v nism for moving the feed roller, in which balanced conditions exist and one which is sufficiently rugged to last many times longer than any mechanism in existing machines of this type.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a pressure roller cooperating with the feed roller or disc, said pressure roller or disc being movable on the supporting frame on spaced parallel rods, and retracting means for said last roller acting substantially equally upon both rods.

Yet another object of the invention is the provision of a cooperative feed roller and pressure roller, wherein the latter is adjustably supported relative to the former along a line substantially parallel to the needle.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, upon a study of the following specification and the accompanying drawings.

The following specification includes not only a complete description of the feed rollers, their supports and the mechanism for moving the same, but also a complete description of the other elements of the machine so that the invention can be more clearly understood.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my new and improved machine;

Figure 2 is a right side elevation showing the relative arrangement of certain elements thereof, and showing my equalized release of the pressure roller from the feed roller;

Figure 3 is a View of the machine of Figure 1, as seen from above, after the cover plate has been removed;

Figure 4 is a sectional elevation taken along the line 4-4 of Figure 3;

Figure 5 is a view, showing the relative positions of the looper bar mechanism in several positions along its path of movement; and

Figure 6 is a perspective view of my improved looper and the cooperative mechanism for moving the same.

Description of mechanism of the machine Referring first to Figures 1 to.3 inclusive, the machine includes a hollow casing 10 which has a right side wall 11, a left side wall 12, a rear wall 13 and a front wall 14, each forming an integral part of the casing 10. The upper end 15 of the casing 10 is open, and is provided with a closure plate 16, which is secured on to the casing in any suitable manner.

The wall 11 has formed integral therewith a boss 17, and the wall 12 carries a boss 18, and these bosses have formed therein respectively, aligned bearing holes 19 and 20 in which a main shaft 21 is journaled. Secured on the shaft 21 adjacent to the boss 17 is a hand wheel 22 which carries a pulley groove 23. On the other end, the shaft 21 carries a second hand wheel 24.

A needle bar 28 is reciprocally carried in the walls 13 and 14 and carries a yoke member 27 which includes spaced parallel downwardly extending faces which cooperate with an eccentric 25, which has a hub 26 secured to the main shaft 21. The needle bar carries on the front end a block member 29 into which the needle 30 is clamped. Reciprocally mounted in the block 29 is a thread pressure imposing member 31 carrying a spring 32 which urges it to the right, as seen in Figure 3, and which is cammed to the left by the camming surface 33 on the rod 34. Spaced apart from the member 31 on the block 29 is a thread guiding pin 35.

The feed discs and the mechanism for separating them to insert work between them or to remove work therebetween The machine has a vertical shaft 36 to which is secured a feed disc 37 (Figure 2). The shaft 36 is rotated in increments intermittently in any suitable manner known in the prior art. The lengths of the feed increments may be adjusted by means of the plunger lever 38, and the bifurcated yoke 63 (Figure 3) forms part of the feed mechanism, and this is oscillated by an eccentric 64 secured on the shaft 21.

Cooperating with the feed disc 37 is a pressure roller 40 which is carried on a shaft 39 supported in a clamp boss 41 carried on a depending arm 42. The depending arm has a vertical shaft 43 which extends into a vertical hole formed in a split boss 44 is clamped therein by means of cap screws 45. The split boss has secured thereto in spaced relation to each other parallel shafts 46 and 47 which are reciprocally carried in aligned bearing holes 48 and 49 respectively, formed in the walls 13 and 1.4. Joining the shafts 46 and 47 within the casing 10 is a vertical shaft 50.

A bell crank 51 is journaled on a cross shaft 52 in the casing 10, and it has a bifurcated vertical. arm 53, the upper extremity of which straddles the vertical shaft 50.

The bell crank has a horizontal arm 54 with a hole 55 near its extremity to which a chain 56 is attached. This chain may extend downwardly to a foot pedal (not shown) below a table or support upon which the machine is mounted. The bell crank also has a depending arm 57 with a hook 58 on its lower extremity to which one end of a spring 59 is secured. The other end of the spring 59 carries a nut 62 which is engaged by a tensioning screw mounted in the lower portion of the casing 10 and adjustable from the outside thereof by means of a slotted head 61. When a pull is exerted downwardly on the chain 56 the bell crank 51 is rotated in a counter-clockwise direction, as seen in Figure 2, and thereby the parallel shafts 46 and 47 are moved toward the left, thereby disengaging the pressure roller 40 from the feed roller 37 so that the material to be sewn may be positioned between the feed roller and the pressure roller, following which the bell crank is allowed to return to its normal position under the urge of the spring 59.

There have been many arrangements in the prior art for releasing the pressure roller from the feed roller, but in all of these arrangements, as far as I know, the pressure exerted on the horizontal shaft or shafts supporting'the pressure roller has not been equalized, with the inevitable result that the shafts tend to cock in their bearings with a biting or locking action. With the new and improved arrangement shown and described herein the pull exerted to move the pressure roller out of engagement with the feed roller is equalized between the two shafts 46 and 47 and consequently smoother action is obtained. Exhaustive tests have proved that with equalized pressure on said shafts, the wear on these shafts and their bearings is minimized.

Continuation of description of mechanism of machine Spanning the casing 10, near the upper end thereof, and fixed in the Walls 11 and 12 is a shaft 65. Journaled on this shaft between a collar 66 and an overhanging boss 67 on the wall 11, is an oscillating dog 68. The oscillating dog 68 has a depending portion 69 having a bearing hole 70 formed therein parallel to the shaft which supports the boss. Journaled in the bearing hole is a stud shaft 71 which has an enlarged external head 72 formed integral therewith. Formed integral with the head 72 is a boss 73, and formed in the boss 73 and the head 72 is a bearing hole 74 in which one end 76 of the looper formed in the boss below the slot 96 so that the member 93 may be fixedly secured on the looper bar in any'desired position.

Spaced apart from the boss 94 in the member 93 is a ball 98 having a shank 99 which threadedly engages the member 93. The ball 98 is positioned in the follow cam groove 91 via the entrance port 92, and as the shaft 21 is rotated, thereby rotating the follow earn, the looper bar is rocked back and forth axially under the urge of the follow cam groove.

A plate member 100 has spaced elongated holes 101 and 102 extending therethrough in vertical alignment with one another, and extending through these holes and engaging tapped holes formed in a portion 14a of the front Figure 6, is reduced in diameter and threaded. A nut 109 bar 75 is reciprocally carried. The stud shaft 71 is secured in the oscillating dog 68 by means of a nut 77.

The oscillating dog 68 has a boss portion 78 upon which a driving dog 7 9 is adjus'tably secured. The driving dog has a split boss which fits on the boss portion 78 and rats a bifurcated lug, 80 through which a clamping screw 81 extends. For the screw 81 the upper bifurcation, as shown in Figure 6, has a clearance hole while the lower bifurcation has a tapped hole engaged by the threads of the screw 81 so that by means of the screw the driving dog may be set and locked on the boss 78 in any desired position. The driving dog 79 has an arm 82 which is threaded to accommodate a shouldered screw 83 which is locked therein by means of a lock nut 84. Journaled on the shouldered screw 83 is a bearing formed in the upper end 85 of a connecting rod 86. The lower end 87 of the connecting rod 86 is mounted on an eccentric 88 secured on the shaft 21.

The shaft 21 also has secured thereon a hub 89 of a follow cam disc 90. Formed in the disc 90, as may be seen in Figure 4, is a follow cam groove 91 which is undercut in the usual manner to accommodate a ball to be presently described and is provided with an entrance port 92 for such ball.

A member 93 has a boss 94 formed thereon, and this boss has a bore 95 which fits the looper bar 75. The boss has a slot 96 therein extending into the bore 95, and a clamping screw 97 passes through a clearance hole formed in the boss above the slot 96 and engages threaded holes engages the threaded portion and secures the shaft 108 in its bearing hole 107. Fixed on the right end of the stud shaft 108 is a lug 110 which has a threaded hole formed therein spaced apart from the shaft 108 and threadedly engaged by a threaded shank 111. Formed integral with the shank 111 is a ball member 112.

The looper bar 75 has an enlarged head portion 113 which, as may be seen in Figure 3, has a hemispherical seat 114 formed therein. The ball member 112 carrying the shank 111 is screwed into the tapped hole until the inner half of the ball sits on the hemispherical seat 114. After the ball member is screwed in as described, the shank 111 is locked in in any suitable manner, for example, by means of a set screw 115. A spring member 116 is secured on the head portion 113 by means of a screw 117, and this spring carries a disc-like member 126 having a hollow seat which bears against the outer surface of the ball 112 and thus the seat 114 is urged into engagement with the inner surface of the ball.

The head portion 113 has a socket therein in axial alignment with the looper bar 75, and a looper 125 is mounted in this socket and is secured therein, preferably by means of a set screw 124 of the Allen type. The looper 125 carries on its extremity a shoe-shaped member 123 which picks up the loop on one side of the bite and carries it over to the opposite side to a position for the needle. to pass through the loop, as is customary in machines of this type. A stationary work guide 126 is secured in the frame wall 14 and has a curved portion which somewhat parallels the rim of the'feed disc 37 for guiding the work.

The lug member 110 carries a threaded hole which is engaged by a shouldered screw 118 and thereby forms a wrist pin. A connecting rod 120 has a wrist pin bearing 119 engaging the shouldered screw 118, and it has an annular portion 121 which embraces an eccentric 122 which is secured on the main shaft 21.

As the shaft 21 is rotated in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figure 2, the oscillating dog 68 swings about the shaft 65 as an axis, due to the eccentric movement imparted to it via the connecting rod 86 and the driving dog 79. This causes the bushing bearing 72, 73, which engages the rear end of the looper bar, to move back and forth, thereby elevating and lowering the rear end of the looper bar.

The lug 110, carried on the stud shaft 108, is rocked about the stud shaft 108 as an axis by means of the con- The mechanism for moving the looper bar rotatively is, as described above, the ball 98 and the follow cam groove 91. However, the looper bar, while being swung up and down by the lug 110 and the ball 112 carried thereby, is also moved back and forth by this ball. This means that the ball 98, in addition to being moved in directions to rotate the looper bar 75, is also moved back and forth in the follow cam groove 91, and the combination of all of these movements causes the looper 125 to pick up the loop on one side of the bite, above the pressure disc 40, and carry the loop over on the other side of the bite, bring it to rest momentarily in a position for the needle to pass through the loop, and then to drop the loop and move quickly over to the first-mentioned side of the bite ready to pick up the next loop as it is formed.

In simple terms the looper bar 75 is driven by the ball 112 through its mating socket 114 so that the looper bar 75 and its head 113 is capable of being partially rotated on its own axis by ball 98 as well as following the arcuate movement imparted by ball 112 and its associated crank member 110.

In Figure 5 the looper bar, the oscillating dog 68 and its bushing 72, 73, the swinging lug 110 and the member 93 carrying the ball 98, (which ball is not seen in Figure 5, but is best seen in Figure 6) are all shown in solid lines at an intermediate position; they are shown in dot-dash lines in their extreme rearward positions; and they are shown in double dot-dash lines in their extreme forward positions. Thus, from Figure 5 the movement of the looper bar and the means for causing it to move in the manner described may be visualized.

From Figure 5 and Figures 3 and 4 it will be quite evident that the physical mass of the looper bar is substantially reduced, as compared to any other looper bars or" the prior art. Thus, I have minimized the inertia forces to be accelerated and decelerated as the looper bar is moved, and therefore I am able to operate at higher speeds than heretofore attained with a minimum wear on the moving parts.

Another important feature of the invention is the arrangement of the stud shaft 108 and the lug 110 carried thereby with relation to the wrist pin connection (the shouldered screw 118) between it and the connecting rod 120, so that I eliminate all chances of a critical angle locking action at the shouldered screw 118 due to conditions resulting from high speed and inertia, for as the angular relation approaches the critical angle, the mass of the eccentric and of the connecting rod 120 moving toward the shouldered screw 118, it starts rapidly reducing the angle immediately after the shouldered screw 118 has moved to its maximum angular position.

Although I have herein shown and described by way of example a preferred form of my new and improved looper bar and mechanism for moving the same, it will be obvious that many changes may be made in the arrangements herein shown and described within the scope of the following claims.

Since the construction of my new and improved feed roller mechanism is obviously capable of a considerable range of change and modification without departing from the spirit of the invention, I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the particular structure herein illustrated except as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. In an overseaming machine, a frame, stitching means, a looper and means to move the same relative to said stitching means, cooperative discs for feeding the material being worked past said stitching means in steps, one of said discs constituting a feed disc and the other constituting a pressure disc, bracket means supporting said pressure disc, spaced parallel shafts journaled in said frame and forming a support for said bracket means, means secured to both said shafts in termediate the ends thereof, a bell crank within said frame having a bifurcated arm straddling said last means, spring means urging said bell crank in a direction to urge said pressure disc against said feed disc, and a second lever on said bell crank adapted to be actuated to overcome the urge of said spring means and to separate said discs so that material may be positioned between them.

2. A machine according to claim 1, in which said bracket means carries a vertical stud shaft, and in which said spaced shafts have secured to their ends outside the casing a split boss having a vertical hole therethrough to accommodate said stud shaft, and clamping means for securing said stud shaft therein.

3. In an overseaming machine, a frame, stitching means, a looper means and means to move the same relative to said stitching means, cooperative discs for feeding the material being worked past said stitching means in steps, one of said discs constituting a feed disc and the other constituting a pressure disc, a pair of spaced parallel shafts journaled in said frame and having ends extending through the front: wall thereof, bracket means secured on said ends of said shafts and forming a support for said pressure disc, a vertical shaft within said frame connected to said first shafts near the ends opposite said first ends and extending between said first shafts, an arm pivotally mounted in said frame and having a bifurcated end straddling said vertical shaft and engaging it at a point substantially equidistant from the axes of said spaced parallel shafts, spring means acting to move said arm in a direction to cause said pressure disc to engage said feed disc, and other means selectively acting against said arm in the opposite direction to overcome the urge of said spring means for disengaging said pressure disc from said feed disc.

' 4. In an overseaming machine, a frame, stitching means, a looper and means to move the same relative to said stitching means, cooperative discs for feeding the material being worked past said stitching means in steps, one of said discs constituting a feed disc and the other constituting a pressure disc, bracket means supporting said pressuredisc, a pair of spaced parallel shafts reciprocally carried in said frame and disposed one above the other and forming a support for said bracket means, support means secured to both said shafts, and engageable means secured to and extending between both of said shafts, bell crank carried within said frame and having a bifurcated first arm straddling said engageable means, spring means urging said bell crank in a direction to force said pressure disc against said feed disc, and a second lever of said bell crank adapted to be actuated to overcome the urge of said spring means and separate said discs so that material may be positioned between them.

5. In an overseaming machine, a frame, stitching means, a looper and means to move the same relative to said stitching means, cooperative discs for feeding the material being worked past said stitching means in steps, one of said discs constituting a feed disc and the other constituting a pressure disc, bracket means supporting said pressure disc, a bracket rotatably supporting said pressure disc, spaced parallel shafts reciprocally mounted in said frame and forming a support for said bracket means, whereby the latter may be reciprocated on a horizontal plane, connection means disposed between said shafts and connected to both of them near the ends opposite those supporting said bracket for causing them to move in unison with a minimum of strain, said last means having at least a portion of its length disposed on a vertical plane, means within said frame operatively connected to said connection means and having at least a portion thereof extending outside said frame and adapted to be actuated to cause said shafts and the bracket means carried thereby to be moved on a horizontal plane, and

means normally urging said shafts in a direction to urge said pressure disc toward said feed disc.

6. In an overseaming machine, a frame, stitching means, cooperative discs for feeding material being worked past said stitching means in steps, one of said discs being moved in steps by a feed mechanism in said machine, the other of said discs forming a pressure disc to cooperate to hold said material against said feed roller, spaced parallel rods reciprocally carried in said frame, means on the ends of said rods supporting said pressure disc, engageable means positively connected to both said rods near the opposite ends thereof, spring means urging said pressure disc toward said feed disc, and retracting means acting against said engageable means between said rods and substantially equidistant from the axes thereof for moving said pressure discs and said means in a horizontal direction counter to the urge of said spring means.

7. In an overseaming machine in combination, a frame, stitching means including a needle, cooperative discs for feeding material being worked past said stitching means in steps, one of said discs being moved in steps by a feed mechanism in said machine, the other of said discs forming a pressure disc to cooperate to hold said material against said feed roller, spaced parallel horizontal rods reciprocally carried in said frame, bracket means on the extremities of said rods supporting said pressure disc, engageable means between and rigidly connected to both said rods intermediate the ends thereof, and retracting means acting against said engageable means between said pressure disc and said means along paths substantially parallel to the movement of said needle.

References Cited in the tile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 531,264 Kennedy Dec. 18, 1894 1,639,735 Jones Aug. 23, 1927 1,891,605 Plurnely Dec. 20, 1932 2,284,471 Hacklander May 26, 1942 

